The VIth World Congress on Pain, sponsored by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), will be held in Adelaide, Australia, April 1- 6, 1990. The goals and objectives of this World Congress are to bring together scientists, physicians, dentists, psychologists, nurses and other health professionals from various parts of the world, representing virtually every basic science and clinical discipline, to report new information and to reappraise current knowledge on acute and chronic pain mechanisms and treatment modalities in current use. The scientific program of the Congress includes plenary sessions and special lectures (single track), luncheon sessions, tropical seminars, and free communications. In addition, a unique educational feature of the Vith World Congress on Pain includes a set of Refresher Courses on Pain Management offered on Sunday, 1 April. Based on our experience form the previous five World Congresses on Pain, it is anticipated that: (1) over 2,000 biochemical scientists and health professionals, representing all basic science and clinical disciplines, from over 40 countries will attend the Vith World Congress on Pain; (2) approximately 550-600 slide and poster presentations will be made; (3) the Congress will enhance interaction, communication, and cross-fertilization among the participants of different disciplines; and (4) the Congress will greatly facilitate the rapid application of new knowledge to the diagnosis and treatment of both acute and chronic pain. Moreover, the Congress will define more clearly the needs and directions of future research efforts and provide opportunities for collaborative interdisciplinary study and treatment of acute and chronic pain (including cancer pain). The ultimate goal of the IASP is to improve the care of patients with acute and chronic pain, which currently constitutes a major national and world health and economic problem. The IASP World Congresses are held every three years, a time span that has been very beneficial to the reporting, evaluation, and further development of research and treatment in the field of pain.